COUNCIL'S CLASSIC BAN

Since October 2010 there has been an informal monthly gathering of classic vehicle enthusiasts in Selsey, on the Manhood Peninsula in West Sussex. Now, despite not having a policy on the matter, Chichester District Council which operates the car park has decided to ban the enthusiasts from parking their cars in the car park. CDC now plans to come up with a formal policy on the use of their car parks. In other words, they have banned classic cars from parking, and will work out a reason why later.

A gathering had been planned on New Year’s Day, but after the first legal letter, Manhood Classics cancelled this, publicising it on social media. Not everyone saw this, however, and around 70 cars still turned up. They were just private individuals parking in a public car park, but the council still deemed it an organised event and sent Manhood Classics threats of legal action due to ‘criminal trespass,’ assessment of damages that are owed due to this trespass and the possibility of injunctions with the council seizing property, including vehicles, for destruction.

With all of this in the background, Manhood Classics organised a road run to Selsey from four meeting points around Chichester on Sunday 18th February, attended by around 300 vehicles of all ages and types. Many locals lined the route to wave at and support the classic convoy, and café owners welcomed people in. The council did, however, send a van to check that their car parks were not being used by any old vehicles.

We can but hope that the overwhelming local support forces CDC to see sense and allow people to park again on their car parks, and that this is not a sign of things to come.